One of the biggest uses and question marks surrounding marijuana is its use for sleep. It’s very common, especially among frequent smokers, in which three quarters also consume marijuana for a better nights sleep.
But the jury is still out on its actual efficacy. One thing seems certain: it helps people GET to sleep. Which for many, is the majority of the battle. But sleep quality matters, and that’s where it seems marijuana can prove detrimental.
A study from 2017 found that while cannabis can improve issues like sleep apnea or insomnia in the short term, it overall may negatively affect long term sleep quality. Part of the reason here is because your sleep cycles get thrown off due to the impairment.
Another problem can be the dependency upon marijuana for getting to sleep once growing accustomed to the habit. We all have our nighttime rituals, and when you rely on something like marijuana for getting to sleep, it’s a tricky dependency to kick if ever need be.
But again, it has its benefits! For people who deal with pain in their sleep or anxiety, there are multiple recent studies showing how marijuana can help. So if you’re in this camp, it’s understandable to use cannabis to fall into a slumber.
Like most things, it’s a balance. While sleep quality overall goes down, for some the benefit of an easy drift-off may outweigh anything else. There’s also a potential difference in how an edible versus a joint will affect you personally, so it’s all a matter of trial and error, and listening to your body.
Read more at Time Magazine.
